The Race of Ceri

The Race of Ceri. On Saturday the Black Knight (bib 21) and sir Giorgio (bib 22) went to the ancient amazing village of Ceri to run a 10 km. The scenery was wonderful, a narrow road through the green country full of vineyards and olive trees.

We chose this race because on the website we read: “one lap with a uphill at the finish”; so we thought to run on a flat route with only a uphill. But what a surprise, only uphill and downhill with an impossible final “mountain to hike” where it was almost impossible to run. See the photo (the B.K: is the man in ... black):

Also the loot was ridiculous: 1 apple, 1 bottle of beer and a mini-cake.

As you know I made the decision to race always with no competitive spirit not to injure further my leg and this time, after having seen how tough was the route, I promised myself to be slower than usual.

Stats. Other surprise: the route was 8.9 km long (and not 10 km). I finished in 46:33 (5’14”/km – 8’25”/m); 102 of 153 overall and 12 of 17 age group. Not so bad considering that we met the usual pack with few and good runners but this time the race was really tough and many persons had problems on the uphill because they started too fast.

Have a good week and run strong!!!!

Mother's Day

Mamma. I know I am late with this post but anyway I want to celebrate this special day. My mother passed away on Easter 2001 when she was only 70 y.o. I miss her, a wonderful mom and a wonderful grandma. I was not a good son, my behaviour worried her but she had always a smile and good words for me. In my youth I spent my time playing rugby and I didn't want to study; only when I got married (22 y.o.) I began to be a more serious person getting an University Degree and joining the Coast Guard. However she tried always to understand me and always forgave me.

Also when she was sick and tired she spent hours to play with my children until the day she went to sleep and didn't wake up anymore. Ciao mamma, I will never forget you.

1999: Mom and I

1980: Mom and my wife Daniela

1958: Mom, her parents and a baby Black Knight

April

April 2012. Stats. Running only 124.6 km (77.4 m) in 12 workouts and 2 races. Swimming 20.600 meters in 10 workouts.

April 1991. In that month I ran my second and fastest marathon in 3:34:09 and I finished 124 of 195. Yes, only 195 runners in Rome! We were pioneers.

Training. Since my last post I have run 3 times (9 km - 10.8 km - 10.4 km) and I have swum 4 times (1900 m - 2600 m - 1900 m - 2000 m). The runs have to be slow and short not to injury more both the knees.

Piombino. Wednesday I went to Piombino (Tuscany) for a seminar where I was one of the speakers. The subject was "Environmental Management in Ports by Using Ecoports Tools". Here are 2 photos from the promenade where you can also see the Isles Elba and Capraia.

Have a good week-end

Cemivet Run

The Race. On sunday 29 the Black Knight, Sir Giorgio and his humble servant Massimo ran a race in Grosseto (Tuscany) inside the Army’s Veterinary Center, a beautiful park in the green country, where the Corp breeds Maremma horses for competitions. See the photo:

2 laps for a total of 7.63 km, part on the sand and part on the dirt patch. Perfect organization, rich post-race refreshment, good loot (see the photo) but few runners. Sir Giorgio made the decision to run for fun because he was not adequately trained and I did the mistake to try to run with him: now I have also pain in my right knee.

Stats. Official: 7.8 km in 38:00 at the pace of 4’52”/km (7’50”/ml). Real data: 7.63 km in 37:56 at the pace of 4’59”/km (8’01”/ml). The result is terrible, I finished in the last pack: 118 of 149 overall and 08 of 10 age group. It is difficult to run such races with no competitive spirit: the last place is always available! In this photo the B.K. is the n° 151 (the  279 was “smoked” a little bit later):

Training: today is my 4° days off for the pain in the knee however I went twice to the pool  swimming 2100 and 2500 meters.

Happy running

Maremma

The Next Battle. On Sunday the Black Knight and Sir Giorgio (without his humble and insolent servant Massimo) will go to Grosseto, a nice city in Tuscany, to run a trail 7.8 km long (half on the sand and half on the dirt patch). This part of Tuscany, called Maremma, is famous for the green country and 3 breeds of animals: Maremma horses, dogs and cows. From next Sunday it will also be famous because the Black Knight Army was there!!!!

Injury update. The knee doesn’t hurt if I run slowly (around 6:00/km – 9:39 ml) and for a max of 12 km (7.45 ml). It’s hard for me not to plan any race but I want to run again with a bib, so I made the decision to participate with “low competitive” spirit, only to enjoy the atmosphere.

Training since Saturday. Running: 10.7 km, 10.7 km, 12.2 km and 10.2 km.  Swimming: 1850 mt. This week I went only once to the pool to calm the allergy at the chlorine and to get some advices from the dermatologist: now I try with a specific oil before the workout and a cream after.

The Future of the Italian Rugby Team. Here are the 2 next flankers of the Italrugby. My grandsons Filippo (in photo with my daughter Elisa - the aunt -) and Leonardo:

Have a good week end

Mud and Cobblestones

The Proof. Last Sunday part of the Black Knight Army ran the Vivicittà in Rome and found a crazy path with mud and cobblestones. Here are the “direct evidences”; the Black Knight is the n° 131 and Sir Giorgio the n° 130 (we are only in the first photo). See also how beautiful is the landscape in the background:

But mud and cobblestones were not the only problem. The start and the finishing line were 2 km far and, to come back to the car, we also turned on the wrong way so, finally, we ran more than 15 km: too many for my poor damaged knee that now hurts a little.

Training. Running: sunday 12.2 km (the race) and thursday very very slow 9.3 km not to overstress the knee. Swimming: monday and today 1700 meters, wednesday 2500 meters. Why this difference? I go to 2 different swimming pools near home: in one you can swim all the time you want and in the other one no more than 45 minutes (where usually I lose 5 minutes for the warm-up and the final stretching in the water). I must mainly use the second because I am allergic at the chlorine and after every workout in the first pool (where I could swim without time limits) I spend 2 days with a strong and boring itch.

The Future. On april 29^th a trail 7.8 km long in Grosseto (Tuscany) with Sir Giorgio and on June 23 the debut in open water (swimming): 1° Tricolour Trophy 2.5 km in Torvaianica (Rome).

Happy running, biking, swimming and hiking

Rome - Vivicittà 12.2 km

The Race. This morning Sir Giorgio and the Black Knight have run a race in Rome, the Vivicittà, 12.2 km along the banks of the Tevere river. As I cannot push because of my damaged knee, we planned to do only a (different) relaxing workout, a bit faster than the usual, but that dream didn’t come true. A lot of surprises were waiting for us: only 504 runners and an unbelievable path: cobblestones at the 6° km, deep mud from the 7° until the 10° km where we could run (and in part walk) only in single file. 11° and 12° km on the cobblestones! There we also met our friend TheYogi.

Stats. We finished shoulder to shoulder because Sir Giorgio was so kind to run all the race with me. My stats: finishing time 1:04:09 at the pace of 5:15/km (8:27/ml); 292 of 504 overall; 263 of 408 men and 28 of 48 age group. Here are my first pic I have found on the web and the landscape around the path (see St. Peter). The B.K. is the first on the left - almost invisible - with the n° 131.

Training. This week, before the race, I have done 4 workouts: running 10.2 km and 11.5 km (I cannot increase the mileage to prevent worst injures); swimming 2100 meters and 1800 meters.

Have a good week full of great workouts!!!!